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May I stick my neck out and suggest that you're unable to think of an activity for the simple reason that FS1 children, or at least almost all of them, are not able to write poetry? They can come up with pretty phrases in discussion but I honestly don't believe you can expect them to write poetry.
They're at an age when the love being read to, so it's our job to introduce them to poetry [on a daily basis, in my opinion] so that their minds and ears gradually become attuned to its possibilities.

Thanks very much!!! lol Thats sooo helpful.
I have been asked by my form teacher to do it, so regardless of what I think I need to do it to pass my course, thanks very much for the sarcasm though.

inky said:

May I stick my neck out and suggest that you're unable to think of an activity for the simple reason that FS1 children, or at least almost all of them, are not able to write poetry? They can come up with pretty phrases in discussion but I honestly don't believe you can expect them to write poetry.
They're at an age when the love being read to, so it's our job to introduce them to poetry [on a daily basis, in my opinion] so that their minds and ears gradually become attuned to its possibilities.

I think Inky was being serious. You may be able to get them to think of rhyming words - although not all children will be able to do that yet. They may also manage something heavily guided or with a scribe. I don't think you can expect them to write poetry either.

I think your request is a reasonable one!! I think people need to remember we were all once training to teach!! This is what I have done with my 'average' ability reception class this week. We read Commotion in the ocean and focused on the Angel fish poem. We then did whole class poem substituting the describing words, 'prettiest' g'orgeous' and 'lovely' with some other words that the children had thought of with their talking partners. Then during the week my higher ability chose a differnt sea creature to fit into the writing frame:
Hello I'm the ________________ darling
the __________________ thing in the sea
it is a shame there are no other creatures
as_____________________and _____________as me!

My lower abilty stuck with the angel fish and used the word bank we compiled as a class to fit in their own words. Middles used above frame and chose a different creature. Higher abilities wrote out the poem using their own creatures.
I have been really pleased witht the outcome. I think this activity could be adapted even if the children were lower abiltiy (not sure of the children you are working with!) It is fair to say poetry does not have to focus on rhyme!! Also i am sure you did not mean for the childrne to be creating poetry from scratch!!! hope this is some use and good luck for the obs!!